


Champagne

by Narcissisticpeacock



Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: Elena has to get the girls back together, F/F, and Nadine is a huge lesbian, tfw you don't wanna admit you were wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-29
Updated: 2017-09-29
Packaged: 2019-01-06 21:59:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12219765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narcissisticpeacock/pseuds/Narcissisticpeacock
Summary: Chloe's always been good at walking away, so it helps when she has friends willing to drag her back.





	Champagne

**Author's Note:**

> So this is inspired a bit by Shampain by Marina and the Diamonds, but it's also a fuller and better sort of thing like my one-shot "Overwhelmed". Because I really think Chloe would be bad at actual commitment. Casually dating Nate was one thing, but I think she'd be endgame for Nadine.

Chloe sips from her glass and frowns. She's never been a huge fan of champagne. She prefers them on the dry end, but this one isn't much better than soda. Too sweet. If she had to guess, Elena had chosen it. She was always the type for sweeter drinks. Chloe eyes the open bar across the room and wonders if she shouldn't head over to get a better, stronger drink.

She knows a fair few people in the crowd. Elena has invited just about every friend of hers and Nate’s; this includes herself, Charlie, and of course, Sully. There are others she recognizes, of course. Other treasure hunters with morals despite how small the group is, and even some past clients.

Chloe taps her foot, wondering how early she might be able to escape. She loves the Drakes, really, she does. She's never had better friends. But lately, she's been so socially exhausted that she hasn't done more than meet with a potential employer or find a one night stand at a bar. She only showed up for the party under the influence of Elena's rather convincing pout.

So she chats and she mingles but she'd really much rather be home or perhaps out in the middle of nowhere on the hunt for some trinket or other. Hell, even getting shitfaced at a bar sounds good. Not something she's willing to do in polite company, though. Drink, yes. Get drunk, no.

Chloe downs the last of her champagne and frowns again. She needs something better than this. So she makes her way forward, weaving between the people she knows and the people she doesn't.

The treasure hunter orders a cold Reyka and sips it nearby.

She spots the infamous Victor Sullivan making his way towards her. She gives him a smile as he closes in. He leans against the wall beside her.

“Been a while,” he starts with.

She nods. “I’ve been out and about. Made some decent cash on it, too.”

“I heard you have a partner,” he responds after a swig of his drink.

There’s a second of hesitation before her response, but she puts a casual, nearly nonchalant spin on it. “Had, actually. I’ve been working alone the last couple months.”

Sully doesn’t respond right away. He swirls his drink in his glass and lets his gaze travel the room. Chloe follows it. Elena and Nate are on the other side of the room, chatting with some woman Chloe’s never met. Nate notices her look and gives a small wave.

“To each their own, I guess,” Sully final says. “You’re doing well then?”

She shrugs. No, not really. Her last job, she’d been shot-- just in the arm and she had healed for the most part. It was sore if touched, but she avoided that. She is wearing long sleeves to cover up the nasty scar that had yet to fade. Luckily, that had been the worst. So far.

“Well enough,” she answers. “And I recently got enough on my last payday for a little… retirement home, I’ll call it, in Spain.”

It’s a lovely little place in the middle of the Cantabrian Mountains. She’s got it locked up tight while she’s not there. She’ll use in the time between jobs and whenever she needs to hide out. It’s an hour to the nearest market, but it’s also a beautiful landscape. She had stayed in the house while her wounds from the last job healed.

“I like Spain. Helps me practice my Spanish.”

Chloe chuckles and nods. “Mine has gotten a little rusty. I’ve had more practice in Kannada and Hindi lately.”

“Goddamn. That’s more than I have.”

“Helps to grow up with more than one language,” she comments. She nurses her drink and sighs. It’s not until Sully says something that she notices that she had.

He raises an eyebrow. “Something wrong?”

“Hm? No. Why do you ask?”

Sully gives her a long look but doesn’t comment.

Chloe looks back out to the people around. She sees Charlie chatting with some man. She really should say hello to him at some point. It’s been a long while since they took a job together. The last had been the one they’d quit together-- Nate’s whole debacle with Marlowe.

Sully pats her shoulder. “I’m gonna step out and smoke a cigar,” he says in place of a farewell.

“How surprising. I’ll see you later, Sully.”

He gives her a bit of a half-hearted salute and heads off.

Chloe finds herself alone again, leaning against the wall and sipping at her drink. She wonders if maybe she shouldn’t slip away. No one is really paying attention to her. Sure, she might get a text from Elena later, but she can survive that.

She hums. Yes, now is good enough to get out of here.

She returns her empty glass to a table and makes her way for the door.

A hand catches her arm just as she nears the door. “No way,” says a familiar voice.

“Well, hello to you too, Sunshine.”

Elena is standing there, holding Chloe’s wrist. “Come on. Stick around.”

“I’m a tad bit tired. Not really feeling the party scene,” she answers.

The blonde is onto her bullshit, it seems. She raises a skeptical eyebrow and huffs. “We haven’t seen you in ages and you rarely ever come to the states.”

“I promise, I’ll come to dinner before I head out again. I’m just… I’m not feeling crowds.”

Elena pouts, that irresistible little puppy dog eyes move. Chloe can’t help but wonder how anyone can resist it-- she has a hard time believing anyone attracted to woman could.

Chloe sighs and lets her shoulders drop. “Fine. But I need another drink.”

A smile lights up Elena’s face and she tugs Chloe back towards the bar. The treasure hunter gets another of her previous drink while Elena simply gets a soda.

“So, is there any actual reason you two planned this?” Chloe asks, referring to the party. She’s been led to a table and taken a seat beside her friend.

“Well, it’s sort of for our anniversary, but it’s also a bit because so many people we know live so far away. It was a good chance to get everyone together.”

Chloe hums. “You’re missing out with that soda,” she comments, changing the subject. “This vodka is good.”

Elena shrugs. “Soda’s fine. I’m the designated driver for Nate.”

She’s given a rather curious look, but there are no questions asked.

Chloe taps a finger on the side of her glass, back to people watching. She’s mostly thinking about how she’d almost gotten out. A long bubble bath sounds divine, but she supposes Elena is good company and the liquor is as good as any.

She tenses. She has spotted someone in the crowd.

“Elena,” she speaks, rather soft.

“What’s up?”

“You didn’t tell me you…” Chloe sighs and shakes her head. “You invited her.”

Elena gives her a sweet look; she’s concerned, that’s clear. “We’re friends-- she and I have a lot in common.”

Chloe frowns and feels the cold glass of her drink in her grasp. “I really should go-- I should’ve before.”

A hand closes on her wrist again and Elena holds her at the table. “You should talk to her.”

“You know, I think that’s exactly what I _don’t_ want to do.”

“Chloe--”

“No, Sunshine. It’s not really all that easy to explain.”

A sad look appeared on the blonde’s face. “You haven’t been yourself since you two stopped working together.”

Chloe doesn’t meet her eyes and shrugs. “I’m good at walking away. This really isn’t the first time.”

“Chloe,” Elena repeats, voice hardening.

The treasure hunter does not respond, staring instead at the glass in front of her. She’s sure Nadine is angry with her, and she’s also sure she deserves it. Doesn’t make her feel any better about talking to her.

Nate heads over to their table. He sits down by Elena after pressing a kiss to her cheek. “How’s it going over here?”

“She’s trying to get me to talk to Nadine,” Chloe responds, only barely looking over at him. She doesn’t feel like herself.

“You should.”

“Ugh, not you too.”

“Nadine and I might not be, well... _friends_ , but you two were good for each other.” He shrugs.

Chloe sighs and shakes her head. “Is there a reason you two have the need to interfere with my life?”

“We care about you,” Elena answers without a drop of uncertainty. “And so does she.”

Chloe raises one skeptical eyebrow and rolls her eyes. “I’d much rather just go back to my hotel room.

“Take her with you,” Nate suggests with a grin.

Chloe doesn’t bother responding.

Elena purses her lips and stands. “I’m going to go grab another soda. I’ll be right back.”

She disappears back into the crowd. Chloe would bet that she’s headed right for Nadine.

Nate watches her go before looking to Chloe. “Falling back into bad habits?” She doesn’t answer. “Sam said something about you being tired of walking away.”

Sometimes Chloe hates how well Nate knows her. It’s not the same way Elena knows her, or even Nadine. He knows she’s always the first to walk away; she doesn’t get hurt that way and she survives to the next fight. She knows her odds and she plays by them. She’s not the hero type. Even after stopping the bomb, she’s not. She’s Chloe, morally grey and certain of herself.

Until now.

She’s never been so uncertain.

“I just didn’t want Meenu to die,” she responds, trying and failing to be nonchalant. “It was different. I knew someone in the city and I knew she’d be killed.”

He tilts his head to the side, curious. “Who’s that?”

“A little girl left alone by her father. Reminded me of when I was younger. And I didn’t want her dead. So I didn’t walk away.” She’s telling half-truths again. Yes, she had hated the thought of Meenu dying. But it was also the thought of the country she was born in dissolving into civil war. Her father wouldn’t have wanted that. Neither did she.

Nate frowns. “I don’t believe that. Well, I believe you didn’t want her to die-- duh. But not that it’s the only reason.”

Chloe looks away, resting her chin on her hand. She gets the feeling she’s going to have to talk to Nadine if she wants to leave. But it doesn’t mean she’s prepared to.

* * *

 

When Nadine arrives, she spots Sully just outside the door with a cigar in his hand. He gives her a nod as she approaches.

“Isn’t this a little late for your style?” he asks.

She shrugs and crosses her arms. “Wasn’t sure if I was going to show up at all.”

Sully nods and takes a drag from his cigar. Cigar smoke reminds Nadine of when she was little, before her father quit. The smell is nostalgic and while she’s not fond of smoking, she’ll always enjoy the scent.

After a long pause, he speaks again. “She’s here, you know.”

Nadine crosses her arms. “Ja. Elena told me.”

“Ah. Didn’t realize you two talked.”

She shrugs again. “We have a good deal in common.”

There’s silence between them again. Nadine leans against the brick wall and sighs. She’s angry but she’s not. She doesn’t really know how to react to everything that’s happened. At first, it was only anger. She’d spent the longest time in the training room she had in her house and worked out until her body was sore and her mind numb. And now, she’s outside of a party thrown by the Drakes of all people, and her ex-partner is inside. Probably unaware she’s there.

“How’ve you been?” Sully questions, tapping his cigar to let the ash fall to the ground.

Nadine doesn’t answer right away. She’s not sure there’s a proper response to that. After a few moments of thinking, she decides the truth is probably the best course of action. She knows Sully won’t use it against her.

“I miss her,” she admits.

He nods. “Alright. Then go in there and get ‘er.”

The ex-mercenary frowns. “I don’t know about that.”

He waves his hand a bit, as if he could usher away her uncertainty. “You’ve seen yourself, right? She’ll be weak in the knees for you as soon as you make a move.”

“It’s been nearly three months since she even looked at me.” She grits her teeth. “Eish.”

“What?”

She shakes her head. “Didn’t feel good to realize that.”

Sully focuses on his cigar again. It’s not really his forte, dealing with this sort of thing. The only real experience he has with it is Elena and Nate. Then again, Nate and Elena are happily married now.

“She’s never been great at her own emotional crap,” he admits. “She’s gotten better though.”

“Yet she flirts with every barbara we run into,” Nadine mutters.

Sully raises an eyebrow. “Not familiar with the term.”

“Straight man,” she fills in.

“She likes women too, if that's your worry,” he reassures, but she waves him off.

“I'm aware. Much more concerned with if she'll actually speak to me.”

“That I can't answer for you.”

Nadine uncrosses her arms and rolls her shoulders. She really should head in. She told Elena she'd show up and all she'd done so far was hang about outside. She glances back at the building. The place the Drakes had rented seemed nice enough. If she was lucky, there'd be an open bar inside.

“Nice talking to you, Sullivan.”

“Go get your girl,” he responds, a smirk on his face.

Nadine feels out of place inside. She only really recognizes one or two people apart from the Drakes. Sam sees her and dips his head in acknowledgment. She returns it, but feels thankful that he doesn’t approach. Nate isn’t far off. She doesn’t make to approach him either. After scanning the room, she spots the bar. Thank god.

But she also spots Chloe.

Chloe has just been brought over to a table by Elena. They seem to be chatting.

Nadine takes a deep breath and heads for the bar. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Chloe has spotted her. She ignores it. She needs alcohol in her before she can face that.

“Honey jack,” she says to the bartender. “On ice.”

Now with a drink, she moves to a table at the edge of the room. She can still see Chloe but refuses to really look. She seems tense; Nadine can relate.

Briefly, Elena makes eye contact. Nadine frowns and shrugs. She wants to talk to Chloe, really, she does. But it’s a two-way street and she would rather not head into oncoming traffic.

Nadine is still angry, if she’s honest. She doesn’t really understand why Chloe is doing this. But she’s willing to try to understand if Chloe would just stop being so _goddamned_ stubborn. There’s no reason they should be like this. They’d had a strong partnership after India. Chloe is her closest friend.

Or maybe “was” is more appropriate.

She hates that.

Nadine watches as Nate heads to the table that Chloe and Elena are at. He kisses Elena's cheek and slides into a chair. While Nadine is not _friends_ with Nathan, she can respect him in regards to his wife. Elena is a good person. Chloe had introduced Nadine and Elena fairly early on, and they'd remained in contact ever since. She was a good friend to have. That said, she really would kill Nate if he hurt her in any way. Elena is the type of friend who sticks by your side, and Nadine is determined to be one in return.

Speaking of Elena, she's headed Nadine's way. She's trying to make it look like she isn't, but her path will end right at Nadine's table.

It does.

Elena gives Nadine a grin and half a hug. “Hey! I'm glad you made it.”

“I did promise, né?”

“You did. It wasn't too long of a trip, was it?”

Nadine shrugs. “Long plane ride, but I can live with that.” Her eyes glance over to catch a glimpse of Chloe. She is still seated at the table with Nate, head bowed.

Elena notices the look and her gaze softens. “We're trying to get her to talk to you. She's as stubborn as ever.”

The ex-mercenary lets out a humourless chuckle. “She _is_ Chloe Frazer, after all.”

“Yeah.” Elena taps her foot. “I know you told me you were last week, but… Are you still willing to talk to her?”

There’s no real hesitation in her voice, just the slightest of pauses. “Ja.”

With a nod, the reporter takes a steadying breath. “You know, anyone with less patience wouldn’t want to.”

Nadine nurses at her drink, giving her time to form a response. “I want answers.”

It’s not a lie. Chloe had offered no excuses to leaving, given no reason. Something had to have set her off. Nadine wants to know why she left and see if they can be fixed. She’d been happy with their partnership. More than happy-- Chloe had infatuated her, but it’d grown to more. Nadine cares about Chloe in ways more than a friend should. She’s implied as much to Elena, but she’s not sure if the blonde as caught on.

“That’s it?”

She crosses her arms and shrugs, looking away. “I miss her, too.”

Elena smiles, sympathetic. “Give us a few minutes. There’s a side room over there.” She dips her head towards a door just down a hall off the main room. “We’ll get her over there, once you see her go in, head over.”

“Alright.” She inhales in a half-hearted attempted to bolster her nerves. “Don’t like being nervous though.”

She receives a pat on the shoulder. “It’s gonna be fine.”

A scoff. “Wish I could be that optimistic.”

* * *

 

Elena reappears at the table. Chloe practically huffs as she’s pulled out of her chair. “C’mon.”

“Why?” the treasure hunter asks in an exasperated tone.

“Because Nadine says she wants to talk to you,”

“ _Elena_.”

Elena doesn’t listen, keeping an iron grip on Chloe’s wrist. She tries to tug away but it’s very obviously in vain. She not going to let go until she’s brought Chloe wherever she wanted. Before Chloe can protest further, she’s pushed into a room.

“Stay here,” Elena orders.

And that’s all. The door closes and she’s alone.

She’s really regretting showing up to this damn thing.

The room she’s in seems to be a smaller area that’s being used as storage. There are a few piles of chairs against one wall and multiple benches near the windows on the opposite side of the room. Tables Are folded and leaning against the wall.

Chloe eyes the windows. Really, all she wants to do is go back to the hotel and… not think for a while. Bubble bath. Wine, maybe. She realizes her drink is back on the table she’d been taken from. Damn.

She moves towards the windows, feeling incredibly tempted to open one and slip out. Maybe disappear for a few months. She’s good at that.

Before she can put any of the plans she has going through her head into action, the door opens.

Nadine is standing there.

It's a terrifying sight, really.

Neither of them speak for a moment. The only sound is the door softly swinging shut.

Nadine gives her a rather bland look. “Were you really going to leave out the window rather than speak to me?”

Chloe frowns. The other woman knows her too well. “Just enjoying the view,” she replies. It's not nearly as smooth as she'd like and she's sure that the half-full parking lot outside the window won't help convince Nadine that's the case.

With a mirrored frown, Nadine crosses her arms. She's uncomfortable, but she wants answers and she wants things to be good again. Most of all, she wants Chloe.

Chloe sighs before Nadine can find words. “Go ahead. Yell at me. Tell me how I fucked up.”

The ex-mercenary’s eyebrows become knitted as she gives her a questioning look. “I'm not going to yell at you.”

Chloe blinks. “You aren't?”

There's a gentle shake of a head in response. “I want to ask you something. After you answer, I'll leave. You won't have to see me again.”

That knocks the breath out of Chloe. “The question?” she asks into the air.

“Why did you leave?”

It's really not what Chloe is expecting. In fact, she hadn't known what to expect at all. But this isn't it.

“I… How do you mean?”

“I want a reason. I thought we were doing fine-- I enjoyed working with you. More than enjoyed, really. But you just… left. Did I do something to make you uncomfortable?”

She's blaming herself.

Chloe feels a rush of self-hatred. Yes, Chloe had left because of Nadine, but never had the woman made her uncomfortable. There had just been moments where she was sure Nadine would leave her. Where she'd lost interest and Chloe would be solo again.

It had made sense at the time to leave first.

But Nadine. Oh, Nadine had proved her wrong-- She'd far from lost interest, it seemed. Nadine tried her best to get back into contact with Chloe, to plan a job, to even just meet up and talk. She'd gone out of her way.

And that made Chloe run all the faster.

She'd been wrong and she'd hurt Nadine and she didn't know how to apologize for something like that. Apologies weren't her thing. Not exactly by choice, either.

Nadine is still waiting for an answer.

“You… the way you acted.” Chloe's voice is surprisingly small. “You distanced yourself a bit. We stopped sharing hotel rooms, rarely made plans outside of the job… You would hardly sit next to me on the couch.” She is not lying. Nadine had been showing all the signs of wanting more than just space. Chloe knew them all-- she had shown more than her fair share of the same sort of signs in jobs with people she'd been unhappy around. “I left so you wouldn't have to.”

Nadine's arms uncross. She seems almost startled. “I wouldn't have left. I would never have left. I just didn't… I didn't want to seem…” She shakes her head, her mane of curls bouncing with the effort. She can't get the words out.

Chloe steps a bit closer. “Seem what?”

Nadine practically shrinks in on herself. It's shocking and Chloe hates that she has to see it. She's grasping her own biceps and holding herself close. Her eyes are on the ground, far from Chloe. “I've had experiences where the women I'm interested in think I'm… I've been called predatory.”

Anger flares up in Chloe. Nadine is the strongest person she knows, physically. Even emotionally, she seems a lot better off. But she'd had a bad enough experience that she was afraid to show her interest in a woman? Whoever had caused that needed to pay. Nadine was soft and sweet to the people she cared about-- Chloe would know.

Realization sinks into Chloe. _Oh_ , she thinks. _Oh. She's interested in me._

In all honesty, that makes Chloe feel worse. She moves closer to Nadine, until she's only a foot or so in front of her.

“Nadine Ross, the last thing you are is a predator. Well, of the sexual kind-- you kind of are when it comes to military things.” Whichever woman had ever made Nadine think her attraction to women was wrong or creepy was quite honestly the stupidest woman Chloe had ever heard of. "But... you're telling me that you backed off because you liked me?"

"Present tense, but ja." Nadine looks up at her with big brown eyes. “I wasn't being too forward?”

Chloe casts her eyes to heaven and sighs. “You barely even flirted-- If you had, I wouldn't have left, I would've…” She swears. “I thought you wanted to get _away_ from me. If you'd actually shown your interest, we'd be in a very different place right now!”

Nadine seems hesitant. Stupid mistakes and miscommunication had caused this. That much is obvious.  But she's having trouble really understanding what Chloe is saying.

“Darling, I'm not some straight gal who doesn't like when a woman hits on her-- I'm very much bi and very much attracted to you. Never be ashamed of being attracted to a woman, alright?” She seems almost angry.

"You're important to me," Nadine admits. "I didn't want to scare you away, so instead... I scared you away, apparently."

Chloe huffs. "You know me-- why would my response have been anything but positive? _God_ , and I thought it was obvious that I was a sure thing, should you be interested--"

In a sudden move, Nadine reaches out, hands grasping Chloe's arms. She has intentions of pulling her in close, saying _Yes! I'm interested_. “Chloe--” She starts, but cuts off as the woman lets out a pained gasp and tugs an arm away. She lets go and steps back, afraid of what she's done. “I, I'm sorry.”

Chloe shakes her head. This hasn't helped things. “I'm fine,” she speaks as she rolls up the sleeve on the injured arm. She shows Nadine the fresh scar. “It's still sore, is all.”

Nadine frowns but reaches out to Chloe again. Her fingers are gentle along the scar. “How? When?”

“I took a job last month… Not quite the same without you,” she admits.

“I'm sorry I grabbed you,” Nadine murmurs.

Chloe hooks a finger in the woman’s belt loop and tugs her a bit closer. “Well, you're certainly allowed to grab me. But my hips might be a better option.” She guides Nadine's hands there. Her own hands trailed up the ex-mercenary’s arms to rest on her shoulders.

Their eyes meet and Chloe’s frowning again. Nadine is concerned until Chloe huffs and says, “Any chance if I call myself a selfish dickhead, I won’t have to say an actual apology?”

Nadine purses her lips through an amused smirk. “Might help, but I think I’d prefer an actual apology.”

“Well. I’m a selfish dickhead.” With that, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Nadine’s cheek. She is rather happy to note her lipstick leaves a nice mark there. “Does that count?”

Nadine sighs. “I suppose it’s a start, ja?”

“I promise to improve on it at a later time.” She looks cautiously hopeful. “So… Partners again?”

Her hands squeeze Chloe’s hips. “Depends.”

“On?”

“Do you mean partners? Or _partners_?”

A grin spreads across Chloe’s lips. “Mm, darling, I see absolutely no reason we can’t be both.”

Nadine’s smile lights up the room and Chloe finds herself just a tad bit breathless. She hasn’t forgotten about her desire to head back to her hotel, but now she wants to bring Nadine with her.

“Think Elena is worried about us still being in here?”

Chloe chuckles. “Yes. I’m half tempted for us to go back out there separate, just to mess with her. But then she’d give us that adorable little pout of hers and I never can resist that.”

“I know what you mean.”

They’re both feeling better, if a little restless. They know they need to head back out, and Chloe is certain she’ll have to thank Elena for being a bit pushy. But standing so close, she could only really focus on Nadine and the hands on her hips. Nadine gives her a long, warm look and it’s even harder to consider going back to the party.

"Wanna make our escape out the window?" Chloe asks.

The answering laugh makes her wonder why she ever thought Nadine would leave.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey did you know I hate people that think lesbians, especially butch lesbians, are predatory.  
> Also Nadine Ross? A gift to wlw everywhere.


End file.
